The present invention relates to an adaptor and a connector that are used for connection of audio-visual apparatuses such as a television receiver, a video tape recorder, and an audio-visual amplifier.
In Europe, audio-visual apparatuses (hereinafter abbreviated as xe2x80x9cAV apparatusesxe2x80x9d) such as a television receiver and a video tape recorder (hereinafter abbreviated as xe2x80x9cVTRxe2x80x9d) are often equipped with a EURO SCART terminal, which is a terminal unit for Europe having 21 contact pieces, to enable input/output of video signals, audio signals, and signals associated therewith. The EURO SCART terminal was developed to enable AV apparatuses to be connected to each other easily.
The EURO SCART terminal is standardized and its 21 contact pieces are respectively assigned signals to be handled as shown in FIG. 1. Therefore, for example, a television receiver and a VTR each having a EURO SCART terminal can easily be connected to each other with an adaptor for a connector or a connector cable having connecting portions that conform to the EURO SCART terminal.
That is, a television receiver and a VTR each having a EURO SCART terminal (terminal unit) can be connected to each other and input/output of video signals and audio signals are enabled merely by making connections to the EURO SCART terminals without the need for separately connecting, on a terminal-by-terminal basis, input terminals and output terminals of video signals and those of audio signals that are provided in the television receiver and the VTR. Therefore, the television receiver and the VTR can be connected to each other reliably and easily without causing an event that input terminals are erroneously used as output terminals or vice versa.
Further, as shown in FIG. 1, when AV apparatuses such as a television receiver and a VTR are connected to each other via EURO SCART terminals, not only video signals and audio signals but also signal associated therewith can be input and output.
For example, the 8th contact piece of the EURO SCART terminal is used for input/output of a function switch signal. This enables a simplified manipulation; for example, when a VTR is turned on, a television receiver is informed of the turning-on of the VTR via the 8th contact pieces of the EURO SCART terminals and is then automatically turned on.
There is a plan of using the 9th contact piece to enable input/output of a control signal; attempts to simplify manipulation, such as controlling, in link with each other, AC apparatuses that are connected to each other via EURO SCART terminals, are now going on.
By the way, in recent years, in viewing and listening to a television program or a picture and sound that are obtained by playing back a video tape in homes, an audio-visual amplifier (hereinafter abbreviated as xe2x80x9cAV-amplifierxe2x80x9d) is provided between a television receiver and a VTR and audio signals that are output from the television receiver or the VTR are supplied to, for instance, surround speakers via the AV amplifier, to obtain presence in a home theater or a movie theater.
However, it is not easy to connect such an apparatus as an AV amplifier between a television receiver and a VTR by using the above-described EURO SCART terminals. Even if the connections are made, there may occur some problems.
As described above, the EURO SCART terminal was developed to enable two AV apparatuses, such as a television receiver and a VTR, to be connected to each other easily with a simple manipulation, and no consideration is given to additional devices, as an AV amplifier, that is to be connected between the television receiver and the VTR.
Usually, to view and listen to a picture and sound that are reproduced from a VTR, in a case where an AV amplifier is connected between a television receiver and the VTR by using EURO SCART terminals, a conversion adaptor for extracting only necessary video and audio signals from the EURO SCART terminals is needed.
The conversion adaptor is connected to the EURO SCART terminal of the VTR, and video signals are supplied to the television receiver while audio signals are supplied to the AV amplifier. With these connections, a picture that is reproduced by the VTR is displayed on the television receiver while sound that is reproduced by the VTR is output from surround speakers, for instance.
However, in this case, the VTR is allowed to output only the video signals and audio signals; the VTR is not allowed to output any associated signals, such as a signal that should be output from the VTR via the 8th contact piece as described above (function switch signal). Therefore, it is no longer possible to perform such a control as automatically turning on the television receiver that is in a state of not being supplied with power.
To supply audio signals that are output from the VTR also to the television receiver to cause the speakers of the television receiver to output sound, additional measures are needed, such as making further connections between the AV amplifier and the television receiver, thereby allowing audio signals that are supplied to the AV amplifier to be supplied from the AV amplifier to the television receiver. However, this is not preferable because the connections between the AV apparatuses become complex and a connecting operation takes much time and labor.
To cause the AV amplifier to output audio signals coming from the television receiver, it is necessary to use a conversion adaptor for extracting only necessary audio signals from the EURO SCART terminal of the television receiver and to supply the extracted audio signals to the AV amplifier. Further, more complicated connections are needed to record a television program or the like by supplying video and audio signals from the television receiver to the VTR.
In view of the above, an object of the invention is to provide an adaptor for a connector and a connector which enable connection of another audio-visual apparatus between audio-visual apparatuses by using a multiple-contact-piece terminal that is designed to make connection between AV apparatuses and is used for input/output of plural kinds of signals, without impairing the functions of the multiple-contact-piece terminal.
To solve the above problems, the invention provides an adaptor for a connector to be interposed between a first terminal unit having multiple contact pieces and a second terminal unit having multiple contact pieces that are used for input/output of a video signal, an audio signal, and a signal associated therewith, comprising a first connecting portion that has multiple contact pieces corresponding to the multiple contact pieces of the first terminal unit, respectively, and that is so shaped as to be connectable to the first terminal unit; a second connecting portion that has many contact pieces corresponding to the multiple contact pieces of the second terminal unit, respectively, and connected to the respective contact pieces of the first connecting portion, and that is so shaped as to be connectable to the second terminal unit; and a conductive contact piece connected to a predetermined one of the multiple contact pieces of the first and second connecting portions, and being connectable to a pin plug or a pin jack.
The invention also provides a multiple-contact-piece connector for input/output of a video signal, an audio signal, and a signal associated therewith, comprising a plug portion or jack portion having many contact pieces; a cable portion having a number of signal lines that are connected to the respective multiple contact pieces of the plug portion or jack portion; and conductive contact piece connected to predetermined one of the multiple contact pieces of the plug portion or jack portion, and to be connected to a pin plug or a pin jack.
According to the adaptor of the invention, all signals that are input from the multiple-contact-piece plug portion side are output to the multiple-contact piece jack portion side and all signals that are input from the jack portion side are output to the plug portion side. Where conductive contact pieces are connected to the contact pieces for handling audio signals, audio signals that are input/output between the plug portion and the jack portion are also output from the conductive contact pieces.
As a result, all signals that are handled by all contact pieces can be input/output between an AV apparatus that is connected to the plug portion side of the adaptor that conforms to the EURO SCART terminal and an AV apparatus that is connected to the jack portion side, as well as audio signals can be supplied to another AV apparatus, such as an AV amplifier.
According to the connector of the invention, signal lines are connected to the respective contact pieces of the multiple-contact-piece plug portion or jack portion, whereby all signals handled by the respective contact pieces can be input and output. Where conductive contact pieces are connected to the contact pieces for handling audio signals, audio signals that are input/output via the connector are also output via the pin plugs or pin jacks.
As a result, where AV apparatuses are connected to each other by using this connector, all signals that are handled by all contact pieces can be input/output between the connected AV apparatuses, as well as audio signals can be supplied to an AV amplifier, for instance, as in the case of using the adaptor of the invention.